Firearm.



A. L. AUDETTE.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 11, 1909. 968,228. Patented Aug.23, 1910.

ATTORNEY.

A. L. AUDETTE.

. FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 11, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

2 HHEETBBHEET 2.

' INVENTOR, afzzz'zre l dim/ 6272;

v WITNESSES.-

ATTORNEY.

ANTOINE L. AUDETTE, OF CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 11, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910. Serial No. 522,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTOINE L. AUDETTE, a British subject, and resident of Ohicopee Falls, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firearms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in single shot breech loading firearms, and has for its object to provide an action in which by reason of extraordinary simplicity, is capable of the utmost eiiiciency in operation.

The invention is characterized by the pr0- vision in a vertical recess in the frame behind the barrel of a breech block which is vertically movable in the recess, the hammer, sear and trigger being all mounted in the breech block and bodily carried thereby and the means for imparting the lowering movement to the block so that its upper portion is below the chamber in the barrel (whereby a shell may be withdrawn and a new cartridge inserted) and for also upwardly returning the block and to automatically force the hammer to have a cooking notch therein engaged by the sear.

The invention, furthermore, includes means whereby the extractor is rearwardly moved for partially withdrawing the shell from the chamber in the barrel upon, and by reason of, the lowering movement of the breech block.

The invention is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and definitely set forth in the claims.

In the drawings :Figure l is a plan view for the purpose of showing the very simple bearings at the top of the firearm. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section, on line 22, Fig. 1, the parts being shown as in the positions which they have when the trigger is pulled and the hammer released for firing. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the same plane as Fig. 2, but showing the position which the parts have when the breech block is partially lowered, that is the hammer at half cock and engaged by the sear which is constructed as a rigid or integrally united part of the trigger. Fig. 4 is a sectional view also on the same plane but showing the positions which the parts have when the breech block is fully lowered and more especially illustrating the operation of the devices for actuating the extractor. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view on line 5-5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the breech block.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

In the drawings,-A represents the frame of a firearm carrying the barrel B and made with a recess av vertically therethrough at its portion to the rear of the barrel for the accommodation of the breech block C which is vertically movable therein.

The breech block comprises opposite and separated side walls I) b and a member d at its upper forward portion which unites said side walls.

The hammer D is carried in the breech block between such side walls and is mount- The trigger and sear are made as one, 9

representing the sear member slightly upwardly and forwardly extending from the pivot it on which the part is mounted in the space between the opposite side walls of the breech block, the trigger 2' extending downwardly below the lower one edge of the breech block from the bar-like member j,

the rearward extremity 7' of such bar-like member constituting the bearing support for the lower end of the hammer spring 7:, which spring a spiral one is in compression between the base rest at 3' therefor and the back of the hammer, and having, for preventing its displacement from its coacting interposition between said parts, engagements with teats or bosses j and j" provided on the upper side of the said part i and the back of the hammer.

F represents a lever, the forward extremity of which enters a recess m in the frame below the barrel and forward of the breech block and is connected to the frame, to swing thereon by the pivot 11.. This lever is made with a curved portion 0 to constitute a trigger guard and is reversely curved at its extremity o to constitute a finger bearing member.

G represents an element which is a link and which is capable of a degree of leverage action on the hammer for placing the same at half cock at the beginning of the lowering movement of the breech block as operated by the lever. This link G is located in the space between the opposite side walls of the breech block and is hung to the latter by the pivot t which transversely penetrates the breech block and part G.

The rear portion a of the element G is made as a thin tongue which is matched into the space between the side walls of the end portion of the lever F, 1) representing a pivot which connects the link member G and the lever.

in Fig. (5 indicates the location of the hole for the pivot t which connects the link to the breech block, and [L indicates the location of the hole in the breech block for the pivot on which the combined sear and trigger is hung.

It is to be noted that the forward portion of the hammer is made prominent or with a nose to; and the portion of the link G to the rear of its pivot 2f is made with a nose or lever-like extension 00 below, but in proximity to the prominent portion to of the hammer.

Incidental to the downwardly swinging of the lever F to downwardly draw the breech block through the link connection between the lever and such block, there is a slight degree of oscillation or swinging of the link member, which as a comparison between Figs. 2 and 3 will make manifest, and is effective to cause a leverage or crowding action by the rear extension m of the link against the forwardly prominent portion to of the hammer sufficient to move the latter to its position of half cock (which is the safety position), the sear automatically engaging in the half cock notch by reason of the action of the hammer spring is.

The lever downwardly swung to the extent indicated in Fig. 3 and having, before v the breech block has moved to any appreciable extent, secured the half cocking, the further movement of the lever down to its limit, as indicated in Fig. 4, causes the lowering of the breech block so that the solid uniting upper portion (Z is carried well below and clear of the chamber in the barrel; and the latter part of the downward movement of the breech block becomes effective to actuate the extractor.

The extractor comprises a stem or barlike portion y'which is longitudinally slidable in a way y therefor under the barrel the upwardly projecting cartridge rim en gaging tongue 3 Below the extractor and located in the recess m in the frame is a block J hung by pivot c tothe frame and constructed with an upwardly extending member 0 which engages the extractor and a rearwardly ex tending member 0 which projects into the space between the opposite walls of the breech block below the aforementioned uniting portion d of the latter; and, therefore, when the breech block approaches the limit of its downward movement the uniting or roof-like part of such block engages the rearwardly extending member 0 of the block J and imparts a slight rocking motion to the latter so that its upwardly extending member c in engagement with the extractor rearwardly forces the latter, as indicated in Fig. 4:, so that the shell may be easily taken out from the chamber of the barrel.

The forward lower portion of the extractor is made downwardly and rearwardly beveled so that the slightly downwardly and forwardly beveled upper corner of the breech block will impart a cam-like action to crowd the extractor forwardly when the breech block is raised.

The components of the working portion of this firearm are very few in number, of

simple and cheaply constructed forms and are largely contained in and carried by the breech block; and in the arm constructed as here illustrated a firing pin L is fitted in and movable within proper limits in the uniting portion 65 of the breech block, the I same in the present instance being in line with the rim of the cartridge, although its location for center firing would be only a matter of election corresponding to the kind 0 p of cartridges to be used.

I claim 1. In a firearm, in combination, a barrel carrying frame recessed vertically at its portion to the rear of a barrel, a breech block in the recess in the frame comprising separated opposite side walls and a portion uniting such walls at the forward upper portion of the breech block and having a firing pin therein, a hammer pivotally mounted within the breech block provided with cocking notches, and having a boss at its rear edge, a member below the hammer pivotally mounted within the breech block and comprising a projection extending from its pivot in proximity to the notched edge of the hammer, a rear extension having an upwardly extending boss, and a downwardly extending trigger, a spiral spring in compression between the rearward extension of the combined trigger and scar and the back of the hammer, the ends thereof having an embracing engagement about said bosses, a lever having its forward portion pivotally connected to the frame forward of the breech block below the barrel and having a portion thereof extending into the space between the side walls of the breech block, a link in the space within the breech block pivoted to the latter and to a portion of the lever adjacent the pivot for the latter and said link having a rearwardly extending portion to exert a rearwardly swinging movement to the hammer.

2. In a firearm, the combination with the frame carrying a barrel and having a vertical recess at the rear of the barrel, of a breech block vertically movable in said space and comprising opposite side walls and a portion uniting such walls at the forward upper portion of the breech block, an extractor slidably supported beneath the rear portion of the barrel and a block pivoted in the frame beneath the barrel and forward of the breech block having an upwardly extending member in engagement with the extractor and having a rearwardly extending member projecting into the space between the opposite walls of the breech block below said uniting portion of the latter and to be engaged by such portion on the descent of the breech block, and means for imparting lowering and elevating movements to the breech block.

Signedby me at Springfield, Mass, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTOINE L. AUDETTE.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL E. REINDEAN, WM. S. BELLOWS. 

